'Hindi tsamba yung tinalo namin UP’: Bulldogs claim another scalp in late resurgence

MANILA, Philippines — No fluke here. 

With their backs against the wall and on the cusp of missing the Final Four bus for the first time in three years, the National University Bulldogs recorded back-to-back upset wins in the UAAP Season 87 men’s basketball tournament.

After struggling to string together wins in the first 10 games of the season, the Bulldogs pulled off a massive upset victory over the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons on Sunday. Three days later, they came from behind against the University of Santo Tomas Growling Tigers, 67-62.

Dead-last in the standings before this weekend’s games, NU is now in the thick of the Final Four race, one game behind the fourth-placed 5-7 UST squad.

After Wednesday’s victory over the Tigers, NU head coach Jeff Napa stressed that their latest triumph proved that the UP win is no fluke.
 
“Number one, doon sa mga hindi naniniwala na tinalo namin ‘yung UP, ito ang kasunod. Hindi tsamba yung tinalo namin UP. Okay? Hindi malas yung UP. Nagarro kami nang tama. Ganun ka-simple,” Napa told reporters. 

“Ngayon, tinalo namin UST, naglaro uli kami nang tama. Ganun lang ka-simple. Thankful ako sa mga players ko. Ganun ka-simple,” he added.

The Tigers led by 13 points, 51-38, in the third quarter. 

NU, though, stormed back and unleashed a 26-7 run to grab a commanding 64-58 lead with 4:37 remaining.

The Tigers tried to inch closer, but the Bulldogs were able to keep their foes at bay with timely baskets, hand-in-hand with sorry misses by the Espana-based cagers.

“Ganoon pa rin yung game plan namin at mindset ko sa kanila. Just go out and compete, whatever the result. At least walang pagsisisihan. Gaya nung ginawa namin sa UP na hindi namin tsinambahan talaga. Trinabaho ng mga bata yun,” Napa stressed.

“Kaya doon sa mga nagke-credit na malas yung UP, ito yung kapalit sa inyo. W diba? Panalo. Mamatay na kayo sa inggit. Ganun lang ka-simple. Kasi masyado nyong dina-down yung NU… Naglalaro rin kami. Kasali rin kami sa UAAP, hindi porket nandoon kami sa baba eh puro kami talunan,” he added. 

NU is now tied with the Far Eastern University Tamaraws with 4-8 win-loss records. The Sampaloc-based squad is currently sitting at seventh place, above the 3-8 Ateneo Blue Eagles. 

Napa, though, stressed that they will just “leave their fate up to the heavens” with two games remaining in the season as they will compete for the community. 

The Bulldogs’ final two games of the season will be against the dangerous Adamson Soaring Falcons on Sunday and the defending champions La Salle Green Archers next Wednesday.